


It's all about Frank

by carrowmetohell



Series: Winterfino [1]
Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-05 19:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12800775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrowmetohell/pseuds/carrowmetohell
Summary: Bonnie and Frank have always needed each other. Outside of that house, they could be better people.Set pre-K5.





	1. Chapter 1

It was 2am and Bonnie Winterbottom was standing outside Frank’s door; her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes bloodshot. It wasn’t the first time she’d ended up here like this and it was unlikely to be her last. Even so, she hesitated before knocking on his door. 

What had started out as overtime at the office had turned into another painful night. Bonnie had been filing reports when Annalise had stormed in, primed with anger fuelled by her husband’s wandering eye. Bonnie inhaled, feeling her chest tighten uncomfortably as she remembered the barbed words thrown her way that night. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that she was drowning. 

Bonnie took out her phone, the bright light of her touchscreen blinding her eyes which had acclimatised to the dark of night. She’d been hoping for a missed call but of course there wasn’t one. There never was with Annalise. 

02:09 AM.

She’d been standing here for 9 minutes. The cold seeping into her bones. Where had this indecision come from? Bonnie wondered why she’d bothered to drive to his place if she was just going to stand idly outside his apartment. She shivered and made the decision to knock. 

“One last time.” She whispered to herself, ready to call him if he didn’t answer soon.  
The slight blonde was pale and sickly against the moons sombre rays, but Frank didn’t notice as he swung his front door open. He stumbled into the door frame causing Bonnie to jolt back. “Are you alright?” She questioned, surprised to see him in such a state.

“Peachy.” He growled, jerking his head backwards. A moment of silence stretched between the two as Bonnie held her arm, unsure of what to do with herself. “You comin’ in?” He slurred gesturing wildly into his home. Bonnie nodded, staying silent. She’d seen him drunk before but never quite like this. Something was wrong.

“Take the bed.” Frank grunted, stumbling across his living room to the sofa. Bonnie glanced around the dark room. There was an empty glass next to a very nearly empty bottle of scotch atop his coffee table. “Drinking alone?” She asked but her question was met with stony silence.

Frank collapsed onto the sofa, propping up his pillow and lying down. He snatched up the dark grey blanket that had fallen to the floor when he had got up to open the door. Bonnie frowned wondering why he’d been sleeping in here and not his own room, but she asked nothing. He didn’t seem too interested in conversation. “Night…” She muttered, turning away from him with a sigh.

Bonnie turned the living room light off as she headed to his bedroom. She knew well enough where it was. The blonde mulled through her encounters with Frank that day, wondering what could have set him off like this. Annalise had been in a foul mood that day and that was even before she went to her husband’s event. Perhaps she was the cause of his distress.

How had things got so messed up? Bonnie wondered. She knew that train of thought was fruitless. Her life had always been messed up and so had Frank’s. No matter how bad Annalise could be to them, she knew their lives could always have been worse. Annalise had saved them.

She had been the one to invite the two into her home. Annalise had been like a mentor, she’d built up their trust and empowered them. Neither Bonnie or Frank had felt acceptance until they met her. Surely because of that they owed her everything they had to give? Without Annalise they’d still be nothing. Hell, Bonnie didn’t believe either of them would still be alive without Annalise.

But she’d played with their lives. The very woman that had helped them had broken them down. Over the years she’d humiliated and manipulated them and yet still they craved her approval. Annalise was the one woman that had seen them at their worst and believed them to be better. She’d pushed them to succeed and they remembered that even when she seemed to resent them. Annalise had a hold over Bonnie and Frank that only the other understood, she’d inadvertently forged an unshakable bond between the two. They two relied on each other to survive. 

So where else would she end up but Frank’s front door? Bonnie had promised herself she wouldn’t do this again, run to him whenever she needed a shoulder to cry on. But here she was, sat at the foot of his bed. Though it felt lonely without him. 

It had been a while since she’d felt this alone and empty. Bonnie wiped a stray tear away before kicking off her shoes. She supposed she better get some sleep before dawn broke. Tomorrow was another day and Annalise would expect them both to show up as if nothing had happened the day before just as she always did.

Sucking in a shaky breath, Bonnie stripped down to her underwear, opening one of Franks drawers and taking out a large grey t-shirt. She was sure he wouldn’t mind if she slept in it. He certainly didn’t the last time she was here…


	2. Chapter 2

Bonnie was awoken by shouting. She bolted upright and threw the duvet off herself. Then there was a loud crash and something shattered. What was happening? It sounded like a struggle. Bonnie’s eyes struggled to acclimatise to the dark, but she knew she wasn’t in her own room. Where the hell was she? What was happening? 

The yelling continued, Bonnie had no time to rationalise the situation. Her survival instinct kicked in and she leapt out of bed. She grabbed the closest blunt instrument to her, ripping the bedside lamp out of the wall. Bonnie ran out of the room, wielding the lamp like a baseball bat, towards the sound of the disturbance.

She tripped over something in the corridor but managed to regain her balance. Hugging the wall, she edged her way towards the noise. The living room was pitch black, but she finally recognised where she was. 

This was Frank’s place. The memory of the night before flooded back to her. “Frank?” She hissed, stepping gingerly into the darkness. “Where are you?” She whispered, close to the wall as she fumbled for the light switch. “Are they still in the house?” She asked just before she manged to catch the switch. Suddenly the room was flooded with light which blinded her temporarily. 

Shielding her face, she forced herself into a defensive stance. If anyone came at her she was going to hit them so hard with the lamp it would shatter. Bonnie was ready.  
Her eyes darted to the front door which she noticed was still shut. No one had come in that way at least which left the window- Her train of thought was interrupted by Frank gasping. Bonnie moved towards the sofa and noticed him cowering on the floor.

Bonnie dropped the lamp and dashed over to his side. Dropping to her knees, she looked at him concern flooding her expression. He still seemed to be asleep.  
“Frank?” She asked hesitantly, Bonnie had never seen him look so vulnerable before. It scared her.

“He’s there.” He whispered, clutching his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “He’s right there.” Bonnie shuddered, she knew Frank had enemies and she never wished to meet any of them ever again. The last time had been traumatic enough.

“Who is here Frank? There’s no one here!” She replied a little frantic. She stood up quickly and looked around the room to make sure there were no signs of another person. The coffee table was flipped over but besides that there was no other signs that indicated any kind of struggle.

Bonnie returned her attentions to the bearded man at her feet, entirely unsure of what to do. She crouched back down before reaching out gingerly to shake his shoulder. “Frank,” she urged, trying to get him to wake up. “Frank it’s Bonnie. No one’s here. You’re safe.” Her voice hitched as she said the last word. She just hoped it sounded more convincing than it felt. 

“You can open your eyes Frank. I’m the only one here. It’s ok.” 

Frank groaned, his eyes flying open. In his surprise he lunged forward, pushing her to the ground and restraining her. “Frank!” She yelled, pushing at his chest. 

His fear and anger melted as recognition flashed across his face. “B-bon?” He managed to stutter before collapsing on top of her. Frank sucked in a shaky breath before he broke down sobbing. The slight blonde lay unmoving as Frank remained on top of her distraught. She wrapped her arms around his back and held him for a moment.


	3. Chapter 3

“Bonnie I’m sorry.” Frank broke the silence that had enveloped the room. It hadn’t been uncomfortable, but he’d started to itch. Frank just hoped he hadn’t scared her with his outburst. He ought to know better by know. She’d never been disturbed by him.

“Don’t mention it.” Bonnie replied with a softness she reserved for moments like this. The bearded man was still pale, still looking as though he’d seen a ghost. She passed him a mug of coffee, thinking he could do with the help to sober up. She was still painfully aware of the empty scotch bottle on the coffee table and the way he opened the door to her.

“I’m still here.” She reiterated her words from earlier. Knowing it was what he needed to hear. Frank was so lost sometimes. They both were.

“I don’t remember you coming in.” He admitted, eyes focused on the tendrils of steam rising out of his mug.

Bonnie sipped at her own coffee before responding. When she’d boiled his kettle, she had checked the time on her phone. 5am. Shit. She was due at the office in an hour. Despite their fight she knew Annalise would expect her to prepare the files for court for that very morning. Looked like sleep was out of the question yet again.

She placed the mug down on a coaster next to Frank’s before sitting next to him. “Yeah. you didn’t look all too happy to see me.” Frank shrugged in response, lazily gesturing to the empty bottle. “Guess I was having one of those nights y’know?”

Bonnie nodded, after all, she’d been having much the same kind of night. Frank slumped back into the sofa with a deep-seated sigh. “What are we like Bon?”

“How long you got?” She replied with a smirk. Frank picked up the remote and switched his television off standby. 

Frank selected some variety of nature show and threw the remote back down. He’d noticed the time as he’d done so. “More like how long have you got.” He muttered, running a still shaking hand through his dishevelled hair. 

Bonnie shot him a disapproving look. They both knew that if Annalise called they’d both go running. Frank was just pissed she’d call her first. Bonnie supposed she understood. She felt the same when Frank was her number one.

The two watched the show for a few minutes, relating to the worker ants that scrambled across the screen at the beck and call of the Queen ant more than they’d like to. Frank sipped his coffee, glancing at his blonde companion in the dark,

A smirk graced his lips and he leaned into her, peering at her closely. Frank cocked his right eyebrow, “that my shirt?” His voice was husky, coloured with a tone she recognised. He sure as hell knew how to deflect as well as she did.

“I didn’t think you’d mind.” She replied neutrally, pursing her lips. She really didn’t think this was an appropriate time for them to get friendly again. Perhaps earlier when she’d arrived at his door she’d wanted that. Wanted their bodies, slick with sweat and passion rubbing together. But now she wasn't sure that was what either of them needed.

For once she hoped she could get him to talk about his damn feelings for once. 

“I don’t.” Silence sat between them for a moment, “suits you better than me.” He added with a charming wink. 

Bonnie pushed herself further away from him causing Frank to frown. “I never asked why you came here Bon.”


End file.
